---
title: Advocacy
type: taxonomy_archive
taxonomy: post_tag
slug: advocacy
term_id: 360
permalink: "https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/tag/advocacy/"
post_count: 37
---

# Advocacy

Posts in this archive: 37

- [5th World Cities Culture Report Reveals Culture Is Driving Urban Innovation Worldwide](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/launch-world-cities-culture-report-5th.md) — New report shows cultural participation is rebounding strongly, creative spaces are being protected, and the night-time economy has become a mainstream policy focus for global cities.
- [Ancient Made New: Beijing’s Intangible Cultural Heritage is at the heart of global exchange and tourism boost](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/beijing-intangible-cultural-heritage-policy-2.md) — Beijing is home to 447 intangible cultural heritage projects. Thirteen – including silk weaving, tea etiquette and shadow puppetry – are on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the most in China. Leveraging these unique cultural assets, Beijing launched the first International Week of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2023;and opened the Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Centre in 2024. Both have enabled Beijing to increase public engagement and boost inbound tourism.
- [Cultural Resilience: Three ways Kyiv is supporting culture during conflict](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/cultural-resilience-three-ways-kyiv-is-supporting-culture-during-conflict.md)
- [Inclusive Public Art: Los Angeles’ Public Artists in Development programme for underrepresented artists ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/los-angeles-county-public-artists-in-development.md) — In 2023, Los Angeles County’s Civic Art Division launched Public Artists in Development (PAiD), a new initiative funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Through funding, apprenticeships and professional development, it directly addresses the lack of equitable representation in public art by investing in the participation of underrepresented artists – including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, self-taught, and emerging artists. It offers a replicable model to diversify and democratise access to public commissions.
- [Preserving film culture in Zürich through The Cinematic Campus](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/zurich.md) — Launched in 2023 by Filmpodium and the University of Zürich, The Cinematic Campus brings film studies students and the wider public back into the cinema. Through live lectures followed by screenings in a professional theatre, the project bridges academic learning and cinematic experience, countering the isolating effects of digital streaming. Free and open to all, the programme revitalises Zürich’s film culture while encouraging dialogue, critical thinking, and cross-generational learning through the power of cinema
- [Barcelona’s Night Commissioner Alcaldessa de Nit](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/barcelona-night-commissioner-acaldessa-de-nit.md) — In early 2025, Barcelona City Council appointed its first Alcaldessa de Nit (Night Commissioner), aligning the city with international best practice in night-time governance and positioning it as the first municipality in Spain to adopt this model.
- [A Collective Reflection: Cultural Leadership Through Crisis](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/event/cultural-leadership-through-crisis.md) — A panel of Mayors from cities across the WCCF network came together to reflect on learnings from their responses to the pandemic, and make the case for culture in their cities.
- [Innovative museums set to open globally in 2024](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/innovative-museums-set-to-open-globally-in-2024.md)
- [2023 Year In Review](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/2023-year-in-review.md) — As the year draws to a close, we look back at nine key moments for the World Cites Culture Forum network in 2023.
- [A Goal for Culture: The São Paulo Manifesto](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/the-sao-paulo-manifesto-goal-for-culture.md) — At the World Cities Culture Summit 2023, hosted in São Paulo from 25-27 October 2023, Mayors, Deputy Mayors and senior leaders from 21 cities launched The São Paulo Manifesto: Goal for Culture, calling for culture to be a dedicated UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) post 2030. 
- [Global Cultural Leaders Unite: São Paulo Summit 2023](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/world-cities-culture-summit-2023-sao-paulo.md) — The World Cities Culture Summit 2023 was hosted by São Paulo from 25-27 October 2023 under the theme of ‘Culture, Courage and Leadership for a New World’.  
- [STATEMENT ON MOSCOW'S SUSPENSION FROM WORLD CITIES CULTURE FORUM](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/statement-on-moscows-suspension-from-world-cities-culture-forum.md) — "The Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, the violence directed at its citizens and the destruction of its society is a fundamental breach of the values of the World Cities Culture Forum. As a result Moscow’s membership of the Forum has been suspended."  Justine Simon's OBE
- [Public art and conversation: Dublin's approach to embracing diversity](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/public-art-conversation-dublins-approach-to-embracing-diversity.md) — Dublin’s population has become more diverse in recent years.  However, it was quickly identified by The Dublin Place Brand Team that the growing diversity of those living in the city was not reflected in imagery representing the local area. This included stock images held for public use on free or paid for download sites.
- [Policies, prosperity and beyond: how Shenzhen is embedding culture into development planning](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/policies-for-the-development-of-cultural-industries.md) — In order to promote the high-quality
development of the creative industries, Shenzhen City and its districts have introduced a series of development plans and policies, with increasing policy funds.
- [P.A.R.T.Y in Chicago: engaging communities through art for urban transformation](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/chicago-p-a-r-t-y-public-art-reimaging-tour-with-youchicago.md) — Chicago identified priority investment corridors in each neighborhood for streetscape and public realm enhancements, including new roadways, sidewalks, light poles, bike lanes, landscaping and community plazas.
- [Can 'Wake the Lake' reawaken Bengalaru's dying lakes?](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/lake-rejuvenation-united-way-of-bangalore-wake-the-lake.md) — Wake the Lake is a flagship campaign to revive the dying lakes of Bengaluru. The campaign is a strong demonstration of collaboration between civic bodies, corporates and citizens for the larger good.
- [Is collaborative grantmaking the key to equitable funding in Vancouver?](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/advance-equitable-accessible-funding-leadership-organizational-practices.md) — The Grants and Awards team piloted a dedicated Cultural Equity Grants program, an invitation based, noncompetitive process for multi-year grants to support greater equity for the arts and culture sector.
- [Shenzhen's green mission: protecting mangroves as a haven for biodiversity](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/guarding-the-mangrove-wetland.md) — The restoration of mangrove wetlands is an important part of Shenzhen's ecological protection policy. For many years, Shenzhen has carried out related protection and restoration work by implementing a characteristic protection system of "forest chief system", building a mangrove museum, and conducting mangrove science popularisation education activities.
- [Artists and activists: the beating heart of Chicago's 'Together We Heal' initiative](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/together-we-heal-creative-place-program.md) — In fall of 2020, the Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ) launched Together We Heal, a journey toward
building racial healing and transformation through policy and culture change.
- [Who tells the story? Chicago changes the landscape of memory](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/chicago-chicago-monuments-project.md) — Chicago recognized the need for a larger reckoning with monuments that symbolize outdated values and
that do not tell the story, or the full story, of the city's history.
- [Can the arts inspire climate change? The secret behind HKYAF's success in engaging hundreds of young artists in Hong Kong](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/hong-kong-hong-kong-jockey-club-community-project-grant-start-up-community-arts-project-2021.md) — Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation appointed artists to work with teachers and youths to create works on environmental issues.
- [A win-win initiative: how Hong Kong's schools are becoming art spaces](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/hong-kong-arts-in-school-partnership-scheme.md) — The Arts-in-School Partnership Scheme aims to foster collaboration between local arts organisations/artists and schools by encouraging school operators to lease their premises and facilities to arts organisations and artists for artistic creation and production.
- [Apathy to art: how Oslo's 'Keys to the City' unlocks artistic potential](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/oslo-keys-to-the-city-2.md) — Oslo’s cultural institutions offer its citizens a wide array of events and experiences, but some audience demographics rarely take advantage of them. The Keys to the City project targets groups of 15-25 year olds living in Oslo and the surrounding region, inviting them to develop a deeper relationship with cultural institutions, and get a better understanding of the range of careers in the sector.
- [Saving the planet one prop at a time: Stockholm's material magasinet's challenge](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/stockholm-material-magasinet.md) — Stockholm’s Material Magasinet (Material Storehouse) is attempting to address the excess of waste produced by cultural sector activity. The storehouse is diverting tonnes of material waste from landfills by giving cultural organisations a place to donate, reuse and upcycle materials, props and furniture.
- [Saving the arts: Zürich supports the cultural sector during the pandemic](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/securing-the-future-of-artists-how-zurich-supported-the-arts-community-post-pandemic.md) — The City of Zurich created a temporary Covid Working Grant to help creatives through a difficult period and retain their talent in the sector.
- [Museums reconnect Barcelona's elderly community with cultural treasures](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/el-museu-sapropra-museum-approaches.md) — To tackle feelings of loneliness and isolation felt by older people living in Barcelona's nursing homes, a programme is facilitating access to cultural experiences for vulnerable people.
- [Beyond blockbusters: bringing cinema and harmony to Rio's favelas](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/cinecarioca-nova-brasilia.md) — Access to cinema becomes an important way of encountering other cultures and ideas, and learning more about the world.
- [Acknowledging a shared past: Sydney's Eora Journey unveiled](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/yananurala-walking-on-country.md) — Aboriginal people have faced significant injustices and their culture often dismissed. Sydney's Yananurala initiative to recognise First Nations Australians in public art and the public domain.
- [Toronto's monumental shift: Dundas Street renaming sparks global conversation](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/renaming-dundas-street.md) — Reconsidering statues and street names in the public realm and ensuring that the most impacted community voices are heard.
- [Creative wellbeing: mental health and wellness for youth in county systems in Los Angeles](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/creative-wellbeing.md) — Through decades of arts-based programming, research, and experience, LA County has seen firsthand how healing-informed arts activities provide youth with an opportunity to learn new skills and express their thoughts or ideas in a creative and therapeutic way.
- [Transformative partnerships: Barcelona brokers relationships between schools and culture and the culture sector](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/school-in-residence-programme.md) — To increase participation of young people in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, the Schools in Residence programme promotes the connection between culture and education within local secondary schools.
- [UNESCO heritage site Al Ain inspires future generation in Abu Dhabi](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/al-ain-unesco-heritage-site-inspires-future-generations.md) — Abu Dhabi creates a groundbreaking educational resource using interactive media to support social studies and national education students in 11th grade in all public schools. The programme is a collaboration between Abu Dhabi's Department of Education and Knowledge and Department of Culture and Tourism.
- [GLOBAL COLLABORATION: HELSINKI SUMMIT 2022 TACKLES POST-COVID CHALLENGES](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/world-cities-culture-forum-summit-2022.md) — Helsinki hosted the World Cities Culture Summit 2022, bringing together delegates from over 40 cities to discuss how government policy can address local and global challenges within the culture sector.
- [Cultural Capital Revealed: Unveiling Global Expenditure in World Cities](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/publication/world-cities-culture-finance-report-2017.md) — As large amounts of public and private money is spent on culture in our member cities, our report reveals how much is spent and where.
- [Ernesto Ottone, Assistant Director General for Culture, UNESCO](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/report/ernesto-ottone-world-cities-culture-report.md) — Foreword from Ernesto Ottone, Assistant Director General for Culture at UNESCO, to the World Cities Culture Report: 5th Edition
- [Focus on Africa](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/report/african-creative-capitals.md) — Discover how Africa's creative capitals are driving forward innovation in cultural policy amidst dramatic urban development
- [4th Edition](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/report/world-cities-culture-report-2022-4th-edition.md) — The Covid-19 pandemic had a huge impact on cities and their culture. The 2022 report explores how cities recovered. The Report highlights the role of culture in driving cities economic and social recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic and demonstrates the key role culture plays in addressing urban challenges and creating thriving cities.